drew his latest breath. Then from the wall the Trojan women raised a
great cry of joy over him who had slain the noble Hector: and thus was
fulfilled the prophecy of Hector, that Achilles should fall in the Scaean
gateway, by the hand of Paris.

Then the best of the Trojans rushed forth from the gate to seize the body
of Achilles, and his glorious armour, but the Greeks were as eager to
carry the body to the ships that it might have due burial. Round the
dead Achilles men fought long and sore, and both sides were mixed, Greeks
and Trojans, so that men dared not shoot arrows from the walls of Troy
lest they should kill their own friends. Paris, and Aeneas, and Glaucus,
who had been the friend of Sarpedon, led the Trojans, and Aias and
Ulysses led the Greeks, for we are not told that Agamemnon was fighting
in this great battle of the war. Now as angry wild bees flock round a
man who is taking their honeycombs, so the Trojans gathered round Aias,
striving to stab him, but he set his great shield in front, and smote and
slew all that came within reach of his spear. Ulysses, too, struck down
many, and though a spear was thrown and pierced his leg near the knee he
stood firm, protecting the body of Achilles. At last Ulysses caught the
body of Achilles by the hands, and heaved it upon his back, and so limped
towards the ships, but Aias and the men of Aias followed, turning round
if ever the Trojans ventured to come near, and charging into the midst of
them. Thus very slowly they bore the dead Achilles across the plain,
through the bodies of the fallen and the blood, till they met Nestor in
his chariot and placed Achilles therein, and swiftly Nestor drove to the
ships.

There the women, weeping, washed Achilles' comely body, and laid him on a
bier with a great white mantle over him, and all the women lamented and
sang dirges, and the first was Briseis, who loved Achilles better than